Thoughts on the Current State of Soak City

[tcraig88]

They'd still have to clean up the mess from trees in the main park too, especially if they are over Queues and walkways. 

I'd like to see a water coaster for sure in Soak City.

[Klabergian Empire]

3 hours ago, tcraig88 said:

They'd still have to clean up the mess from trees in the main park too, especially if they are over Queues and walkways. 

I'd like to see a water coaster for sure in Soak City.

Yes. But it is probably easier to manage in the main park rather than the water park.

[WWC2003Amy]

In my opinion they need to find a way to cool that concrete down. Last time I went both me and my kid got burnt feet after walking 100 feet from the locker. We then bought water shoes but you can’t wear them on most of the water rides.


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[King Ding Dong]

Not that it will likely matter this year but....early in the season lots of stores have extremely cheap flip flops, I have purchased them for $2 at Walgreens once.  Buy several pairs each, if you loose them or they break no big deal.  Although I am prepared for someone to steal them, it has not happened yet at any waterpark in over 10 years.  

[SnakePlissken]

2 hours ago, WWC2003Amy said:

In my opinion they need to find a way to cool that concrete down. Last time I went both me and my kid got burnt feet after walking 100 feet from the locker. We then bought water shoes but you can’t wear them on most of the water rides.


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Can you wear then in the Slide que then hold them? Or can you drop them at the que entrance like I see people do at some other parks?. Last summer I made the mistake of walking around that place with bare feet for several hours and was in pain for days after. I used to be able to do that no problem but I guess time catches up with all of us. Also why is that concrete so hot and Kentucky Kingdom on a 95 degree day wasn't near as bad?

[King Ding Dong]

There are formulations of concrete that do not retain the heat as much but is more expensive and not as durable.  
 

We just drop the flip flops by the entrance but not as close as most and then stack them to lessen chance for confusion.  If you had cargo swim shorts with large enough pockets you could go that route.  But make sure there is no exposed metal like snaps or zippers.  

[BeeastFarmer]

Ewwww think of all the athletes feet, toenail fungus and toe jam on those stairs and concrete! ,

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[disco2000]

59 minutes ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Ewwww think of all the athletes feet, toenail fungus and toe jam on those stairs and concrete! ,
 

Or what else is there if you show up after the Newbie

[King Ding Dong]

52 minutes ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Ewwww think of all the athletes feet, toenail fungus and toe jam on those stairs and concrete! ,

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That is what you HC workers are for.  To fix us up after we go have fun.  

Now get working on this virus so we can open the darn park!  

[disco2000]

3 minutes ago, King Ding Dong said:

That is what you HC workers are for.  To fix us up after we go have fun.  

Now get working on this virus so we can open the darn park!  

And remember this when they do open after enjoying the FreeStyle machines

[PatchesC]

Definitely a water coaster or more large capacity slides. We are lucky enough to live equal distance to KI and Holiday World. If we want adrenaline KI all the way, but water park visits Holiday World because of what is offered there.  

Think the last time we did Soak City it had the kids area closed and lazy river line was horrible. We spent maybe 2 hours in a wave pool before kid wanted to leave for more coasters.

[BB1]

On 4/11/2020 at 1:58 PM, SnakePlissken said:

Can you wear then in the Slide que then hold them? Or can you drop them at the que entrance like I see people do at some other parks?. Last summer I made the mistake of walking around that place with bare feet for several hours and was in pain for days after. I used to be able to do that no problem but I guess time catches up with all of us. Also why is that concrete so hot and Kentucky Kingdom on a 95 degree day wasn't near as bad?

Certain slides you can have your shoes thrown down behind you, others you just can't. I personally wouldn't suggest leaving your flip flops at the entrance just because someone might pick them up. 

There are a lot of glaring issues with Soak City, not just the branding, not just the slides, but the conceptual layout and the haphazardness of the whole park. First off, like mentioned, there is barely any shade at Soak City. When they redid the entry to the lazy river, they ripped out what could have been called the best shaded water park lazy river in the nation. The bushes hanging above, the trees, it was cool and nice on a hot summers day. Now, it's a hot mess with the water features going all over the place. Speaking of, personally speaking, the water guns and features have to go. They are a nuisance to both guests and lifeguards. Sometimes half of them don't even work, other times kids will spray people in the face for no reason. Buckets will be held, spray the lifeguards, and would take them off beat. Don't believe me? I've seen it. Lazy rivers are supposed to be "Lazy", give people like my father who is obese a place to relax and unwind because for him going to the lazy river back in BB era was much more enjoyable with the stairs and messed up queue. On the topic of the layout, the back stretch from Pine to the tube shed being blocked just doesn't make sense to me. The shed can be roped off, and that stretch is a nice way for guests who don't want to go in the river to walk around with their loved ones. Also, for the love of everything good, just add some trees. Seriously, just add some maples or some pine trees, shade up the park and make it easier for people to walk around. The slides themselves are dated, however if you want one slide to hit the can, it's Zoom Flume. It's old, it is rough, the wood is pushing the fiberglass up and needs either repair or demo. Everything else is fine in my opinion, when it comes to the slide colors I honestly believed they should have kept the colors they had in 2011 as I thought Twist and Pine's aqua colors were amazing, the new colors look dated. For what we honestly need at the waterpark, we need a water coaster yeah, but we also need a decent PROSlide tube complex. You could definitely squeeze a decent water coaster back near Pineapple and or maybe have it stretch around the Zoom Flume area. For a PROSlide complex, just place it where Zoom Flume is currently, there is a lot of topography to work with and I think they should use the valley it sits in to it's full potential. As to theming, I loved Boomerang Bay, I saw Soak City as a generic brand with no true flavor. It still honestly doesn't have a decent beach feel in all honesty. I don't want a water country usa esque country bumpkin water park, but I really don't want a generic bland waterpark like we have now. I think having a decent, different brand is essential as I personally believe that Kings Island's direct competitor is Holiday World in terms of being world class. They have a very unique theme, contrary to what we have at Kings Island. Sure, one could argue that it is X amount of hours away and they have a lot more to offer, but I think if Kings Island went for the wood record, they should also try to nab the waterpark record in some form. So, should they go back to Boomerang Bay? Why not? They have the IP, it is different and I think would work to make themselves distinct in the brand again. If not, something like The Rhine Waterpark would work well, with a German/OTR theme that ties in with Cincinnati's German heritage. Which would also tie into the International Street theme that we have in the hard park and Oktoberfest. 

When it comes down to it, the waterpark gets forgotten about more often than you think. We have a few repaints, maybe a new restaurant, but it was four years between major additions. Technically 12 years from the last major water slide addition to Tropical Plunge. So hopefully management can change things up and improve on what we have. 

[King Ding Dong]

Edit:  posted in wrong thread.

Welcome back @BB1

[DeltaFlyer]

On 4/10/2020 at 6:02 PM, Klabergian Empire said:

But I disagree with you on trees on Soak City. I would imagine with the said trees leaves shedding in the fall, it would be quite a mess for maintenance to clean up. It makes more sense to add trees to the main park rather than Soak City.

How about some solar trees?

[King Ding Dong]

That is the ugliest thing I have ever seen,  but would unfortunately fit right in with current SC decor.

[rlentless]

I agree with the more trees and just general blocking out the rest of the world.  We still see the parking lot, roads, etc..  I realize that is not true in every area of SC but I just want to be fully immersed into another world.  It always amazed me at the Cincinnati Zoo how you feel like your somewhere else but literally just feet from neighborhood, houses, streets, etc..

[BB1]

^That comment reminded me of something else the waterpark needs to fix: the smoking section. So we could have a pretty decent water attraction as an entry welcome but we just have a smoking section that fills the entire midway and entrance. Please for the love of everything good just keep the smoking section in a more discreet area, same for the walkway back to the hard park. I don't think they can 100% immerse people into the world of the waterpark just due to spacing and the way the road system operates. You could definitely argue for some more trees around the park as we have the space, but to be 100% immersed without being able to see out would be a difficult task. I personally say if you want to do that, just invest more with the lazy river, make it more immersive and tropical instead of being rock city USA.

[westcoaster]

I think a goid Refurb would be great. Move congo for sure. Atrue water coaster like Splashin safari yes. 

 

 

[Ki Man]

The water park is pretty weak compared to other parks around the country, and I haven't been there in a while. Is that old school flowrider still rough as hell? I remember the concrete bottom of it being painful. 

The drop pod complex isn't original, but it a nice addition. I know they tried to re-sell the lazy river refurb, but let's be real before the drop pod complex, the last addition was in 2004 with Boomerang Bay, and I think everything else is from the 80's or 90's. I understand KI has 0 competition but yeah I never go because it's really crowded, no shade, the body slides are painful, and the tube slides/raft slide aren't very thrilling. I'd honestly rather go to the Beach if I had the choice. Great Wolf too. That proslide coaster is excellent. 

[coaster sally]

Any water park worth anything has a water coaster IMO.

[SonofBaconator]

2 hours ago, rlentless said:

It always amazed me at the Cincinnati Zoo how you feel like your somewhere else but literally just feet from neighborhood, houses, streets, etc..

Just wait for the sirens and the gunshots to go off and you'll remember you're in Avondale

[coaster sally]

5 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

Just wait for the sirens and the gunshots to go off and you'll remember you're in Avondale

A lot of people call that area home.

[KIghostguy]

14 minutes ago, coaster sally said:

A lot of people call that area home.

That doesn't mean it's a nice area.

[disco2000]

13 minutes ago, KIghostguy said:

That doesn't mean it's a nice area.

Everyone cannot afford Mason either...or wanting those roller coasters rattling your windows trying to sleep

[SonofBaconator]

2 hours ago, coaster sally said:

A lot of people call that area home.

They do, doesn't mean you still don't hear the occasional gunshot or sirens from ambulances going to nearby hosiptals.

2 hours ago, Ki Man said:

Your profile says you're on permanent leave? Log off.

I don't think so 

2 hours ago, KIghostguy said:

That doesn't mean it's a nice area.

I've worked in that area and I can 100% attest to that.

[ThrillKingsFitzy]

7 hours ago, DeltaFlyer said:

How about some solar trees?

I just hear this over and over in my head...

Live in a dumpster? Want electricity?

Then buy the Dumpster Fire Solar Trees today!

[Klabergian Empire]

16 minutes ago, ThrillKingsFitzy said:

I just hear this over and over in my head...

Live in a dumpster? Want electricity?

Then buy the Dumpster Fire Solar Trees today!

I can see it now...:

When you purchase your Dumpster Fire Solar Trees, you'll become the talk of the neighborhood. Lets listen in:

 

"Jim, did you see what the (Insert cliche last name)'s put in their yard"?

"I sure did! Looks like deformed Apache helicopter that's painted blue."

"Really? I thought it looked an awful like an inflatable tube man holding a broken road sign."

 

As you can see, a Dumpster Fire Solar Tree will not only make you energy independent, but also the talk of EVERYONE within a 3/4 mile radius of your home.

Buy you Dumpster Fire Solar Trees today!!!

[disco2000]

@Klabergian Empire- thanks LOL...I knew that reminded me of something and couldn't place it LOL....

[ThrillKingsFitzy]

On 4/13/2020 at 5:12 PM, disco2000 said:

@Klabergian Empire- thanks LOL...I knew that reminded me of something and couldn't place it LOL....

Oh my gosh yes 

[SonofBaconator]

Moved over from the Beach thread.

I don't know how much money it costs to invest in a water park vs the dry park. For example, how much did the rebrand and new additions cost in 2012? How about Tropical Plunge in 2016? I always assumed they make more money from their dry park than their waterpark but I park but I wish I could see the actual numbers. 

Back on the subject of a retheme, I'd honestly be all for it. I don't have a problem with what we currently have but I always think there's room for improvement. Recently Cedar Fair has been doing a good job theming their waterparks to their respective areas: CP shores, Carolina Harbor, etc. It would be a good project to do in between coasters and other attractions.

When I think of KI and the surrounding area, there's one one thing that hits me right away: rivers. Cincinnati is along the river, KI is right next to one, heck the reason why KI exists is because of a river. The whole southwestern part of Ohio is one giant Rivertown (pun intended). With that being said if they ever were to do another rebrand, I'd go with a river theme. Incorporating our region's rich heritage of rivers, canals, and waterways would really resonate with park goers and those who live in the Greater Cincinnati area. I already have a few names: Miami River Retreat, Roaring Rivers, Losantiville Waterhole, or Matt Foley's Waterpark Down by the River.